Folding camp table



B. B. DUDLEY.

FOLDING CAMP TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE27| 192l- 1,417,891. Patented May 30,1922.

1 Q 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. W'Jfl 2 y lo ,0 /4 A 8. /4-

INVENTOR.

; flaw/WW5. 0001. 5K

B. B. DUDLEY.

FOLDING CAMP TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27. 1921.

' 1,417,891. Patented May30, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. Fa 6 F 35 1 l l I Z a? mgal 22 Wing p22 I 22 l"IIIIIIUIIIIIIII mm A w 23 I I l Fig 54 fi 2 V "II o unnnm I I l 7IA/VENTOR.

fi'IVJ/I Z 5 0004 E AT 7012mm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ BENJAMIN B.DUDLEY, 0F VISALIA, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING CAMP TABLE.

T 0 all to 7mm 27; may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJA'AIIN B. DUDLEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Visalia, county of Tulare, and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Folding Camp Table, of whichthe .following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a folding camp table and has for itsprimary object to provide a table of this character which may be foldedand conveniently carried upon the running board of an automobile.

One of the salient features of the invention resides in theconstruction, which will enable the table when folded to act in thecapacity of a carrying compartment for various camping accessories, evenfood stuffs, cooking equipment, and the like, and in this connection thepeculiar arrangement and cooperative relationship of the parts of thetable are such as to make it possible to as sociate the table, whenfolded, with at least two chairs or stools, which are made to receivethe ends of the table for confining the same on the running board of theautomobile.

The invention possesses further features which will appear as thedescription now proceeds with reference to the preferred embodiment ofthe invention shown in the accompanying drawing, and in which Figure 1is a view in side elevation of the running board of an automobileshowing the table as folded and carried thereby; Figure 2 is aperspective view of the table set up and showing one of the stools;Figure 3 is a plan view of the underside of the table show ing the legsthereof folded; Figure l is an enlarged detail view of.one of the clipsof the stool which is used to mount the stool in fixed relation to therunning board of an automobile; Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view ofthe same clip shown in Figure 4 looking at a different side of the same;Figure 6 is a detail view of one of the leg braces; Figure 7 is an endview of one of the leg braces showing the V shaped notch which isprovided in one end of each of the braces; and Figure 8 is a detail viewof the horizontal brace rod for the legs.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and as best shown in Figure 1,the table, when folded, is adapted to occupy a position on the runningboard (A) ofan automobile body (B). The table, as above stated, is ofthe folding type so that the same may occupy a relatively small spaceSpecification of Letters Patent. Patented M 30 1922 Application filedJune 227, v

1921. Serial No. 480,852.

tions (1), (2) and (8), the length of which preferably corresponding tothe length of the running board of the automobile. The sections arearranged side by side and hinged together by two sets of end hinges (at)and a set of intermediate hinges (5). These hinges will permit the boardsections (1) an 11(3) to be folded in vertical parallel relation one tothe other, and at right angles to the intermediate section (2) toprovide, a relatively long box like compartment, with the sect ons (1)and acting as the sides of the box and the section (2) acting as abottom for the box.

To carry the table when folded upon the running board (A) oftheautomobile and at the same time conveniently close the ends of thebox like compartment when the table is folded, it is suggested to takeadvantage of a pair of stools 6) each of which having the customary legs(7) braced as at (8), and having a seat In positioning the stools tocooperate with the table when folded to act as an end closure for thebox like compartment above mentioned, each stool is laid on its side,the legs (7) thereof straddling, the ends of the table at a lineparallel to the upturned board sect-ions (1) and (3 as best shown inFigure 1. In this way the legs (7) hold the board sections (1) and (8)in upturned'position with the sets of hinges 1) and (5) preventingcollapsing of the same toward each other, and with the seat (9) closingthe end of the compartment thus provided.

Each stool is provided with an angle clip (10) riveted, screwed, orotherwise fixed to one of the legbraces of the stool, as at (11), havingan inwardly presented end terminating in an L- haped extremity (12)providing an abutment forthe bolt (13) of the thumb screw (14) which isthreaded in an opening in the clip. The angularity of the clip is suchthat when the stools are laid on their side on the running board theclip will be presented underrthe running board with the thumb screws(14) in vertical posithe same plane as the intermediate board tion, sothat by screwing up on the same they will clamp the stools to therunning board, as best shown in Figure 1. As will be seen, this willrigidly mount the table to laid bottom side up on the ground with theboard sections (1) and (3) laid down on section (2), thus making thetable top.

Carried on the underside of the intermediate board section (2) andfolded fiat there-against when inactive are the legs for the table,"which preferably comprise two i which will present them as shown in-Figure sets of folding leg members, each'set comprising a. pair of legs(15) and a pair of brace members :(16) pivoted as at. (17) to the legmembers, andpivoted as at (18) to the intermediate board section. Insetting up the legs, the leg members (15) of each set are first raisedvertically, then the brace members (16) of each set are swung in thesame direction about their pivots (18) until they are presentedtransversely of the'board sections (1), (2) and (3) in parallel relationone to the other, and with their pivoted ends over-lapping. The legmembers (15) are then crossed by folding them inwardly,

. 2. Each of the leg members (15) in both sets are constructed withopenings (19) so that when the leg members are folded inwardly andcrossed, the openings (19) in each set will register with each other sothat the rod (20) may be passed through the openings in both sets, andby threading a wlng nut (21) to the ends of the rod, the legs may bepulled toward each other so that the. diagonal braces (22), which arecrossed between the two sets of legs, may be held in place and in thisway provide a rigid structure for the legs. Each of the brace members(22) are provided with V- shaped notches (23) in one of their ends whichis adapted to straddle the rod (20) as shown in Figure 2. The oppositeends of the brace members are beveled, as at (24:)

to abut against the over-lapping pivoted ends of the brace members (16).The revolved position of the brace members (16) and the leg members (15)are shown in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3. These dotted lines alsoshow the relative position of the diagonal braces (22), and it will beclear from these two figures how the beveled ends (24) of the braces(22) bear against rangement around the table, as shown in Figure 2. i

While the box like structure made by folding the table on the runningboard has no top, it may be used with one if desired, or a canvas'or thelike cover may be used in its stead.

The folded positions of the leg members (15) and the brace members (16)are best shown in Figure 3, where it will be noticed the relativepositions of the same are so arranged as to enable them to be nested tooccupy a small transverse space without over-lapping orotherwiseinterfering with the board'sections (1) and (3), leaving them free to beturned up in making the box like structure referred to.

It is of course to be understood that the braces (22) together with therod (20) are carried loose in the box like structure when the table isfolded on the running board, and, as previously stated, any otherequipment may be carried in this compartment if desired.

I claim:

1. In a folding table and in combination with a pair of-non-collapsiblestools, a plurality of board sections hinged together with the two sidesections adapted to fold lengthwise of the intermediate section toprovide an open ended box like structure, saidnoncollapsible stoolsadapted to be layed on an automobile with the legs of the stoolspresented toward each other and adapted to receive the table when foldedand with the seats of the stools providing end closures for the box likestructure, said intermediate board section having mounted on itsunderside two sets of legs adapted to be collapsed and nested upon thesurface of the intermediate board section when the table is folded, butcapable of overlying both of theside board sections when the table isset up, whereby the legs and their mountings may maintain all of theboard sections in substantially the same plane to provide a tablesurface with the legs supporting the same.

2. In a folding table and in combination with a pair of non-collapsiblestools, a plutheir side and fixed to the running board of for the boxlike structure, said intermediate board section having mounted on itsunderside tWo sets of legs adapted to be collapsed and nested upon thesurface of the intermediate board section when the table is folded, butcapable of overlying both of the side board sections when the table isset up, whereby the legs and their mountings may maintain all of theboard sections in substantially the same plane to provide a tablesurface with the legs supporting the same,

and braces for said legs adapted to maintain the mountings for the legsacross all of the board sections and a longitudinal tie rod for holdingthe braces in place.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 and in which each of thestools include angle clips made to engage the running board of anautomobile and clamp the stools thereto.

BENJAMIN B. DUDLEY.

